| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
SAKAMOTO Naoya Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Graduate school, Research associate, 大学院・医歯学総合研究科, 寄附講座教員 (10334418)
ARAKI Akihiro Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Hospital in faculty of medicine, Research associate, 医学部附属病院, 助手 (80361690)
WATANABE Mamoru Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Graduate school, Chief Professor, 大学院・医歯学総合研究科, 教授 (10175127)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,500,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥1,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥1,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000)
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| Research Abstract |
In this grant in aid for scientific research, we carried out a research project on development of cell therapy using human umbilical cord blood. In the project, we planned that identification of hepatic stem cells from cord blood through in vitro and in vivo assay, and establishment of therapeutic animal models for lethal liver disease using cord blood cell after the treatment of differentiation into functional hepatocytes. The outcome of the research was as follows.
At first, we purified the cells derived from cord blood using fluorescence-activated cell sorter. The positive and negative fractions of cell surface markers (i.e., CD45, CD34, c-met, lineage markers, and so on) were sorted, and were cultured in our original medium supplemented with FGF-1, FGF-2, HGF, SCF and LIF. In this culture condition, total cord blood cells were able to produce albumin and metabolite ammonia. The in vitro assay revealed that the purified CD45-positive cells and lineage markers-negative cells derived f
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rom cord blood can express albumin mRNA. Further examination showed that purified CD34-positive cells were able to express albumin mRNA in our original culture condition.
Next, we performed a transplantation assay using purified cord blood cells. Cord blood cells were transplanted into liver-injured recipient mice, and their liver and the sera were analyzed. After the cell transplantation, the liver of recipient mice transplanted with CD34-positive cells contained human albumin-producing cells, indicating that cord blood CD34-positive cells engrafted in the liver and gave rise to hepatocytes. Furthermore, in the case of chronically liver-injured recipient mice, transplanted total cord blood cells were able to express marker-genes of functionally mature hepatocytes. These results showed that cord blood cells contain the hepatic progenitor cells, which can give rise to functionally mature hepatocytes.
In conclusion, our data implied that human umbilical cord blood could be a source of hepatic progenitor cells for liver disease. The outcome of the research project will be a basis of liver regenerative medicine, and we think the purpose of this grant in aid for scientific research was accomplished. Less
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